System and method for selecting and reserving time slots for an appointment

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving time slots for an appointment. The system or method transmits information relating to a plurality of available individual time slots for an appointment to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user. The system or method also provides a graphical user interface that includes an interactive map showing information relating to the available time slots for the appointment. Through the interactive seating map the end user can select one or more available time slots. The interactive seating map may provide additional information on the one or more of available individual time slots when triggered by, for example, a mouse placed over one of the available individual time slots.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/244,727 filed on Oct. 2, 2008, which is a continuation U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/295,577 filed on Apr. 22, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,454,361, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving time slots for an appointment.

2. Prior Art

The inadequacies and inefficiencies of present ticketing and reservation systems are recognized and addressed through this invention. The rapid growth of the internet now makes it possible for anyone at his home or office to avail himself of the advantages of the instant invention through a simple internet or other wide area network connection.

Prior art makes a feeble attempt to address the inconvenience of ticket ordering. U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,126 (1988), Helbling, et al., describes a series of individual kiosks in wireless communication with a central station where a visitor can locate events of interest, view an excerpt of scenes from that venue and purchase tickets. This falls far short of the instant invention since it still requires a user to physically visit a remote site to avail himself of the service. Additionally, said prior art makes extensive use of what is called “kiosks” implying that, unlike the instant invention, it is only from his specialized machines that such services may be rendered.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,252 describes a more interactive theater attendance system where patrons are permitted two way communications between themselves and a broadcast center but this is still far from objectives of the instant invention and requires that persons be in attendance at the theater and, further some attendant be present at the remote broadcast center. The instant invention is fully automated and, other than the normal monitoring of any application for a wide area network, requires no human attendance or intervention.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,438 describes a ticket vending system where sales of tickets can be recorded on a seating layout but, again falls far short of the instantaneous update and automatic operation of the instant invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,257 allows for a view from a seat but that is now common for internet applications where a hyperlink to any graphic is routinely provided and ancillary to and even unnecessary to the instant invention. Other prior art does nothing to make ticket ordering or seating reservations more readily available and does nothing to improve the information flow to prospective customers so that they may make a more informed decision about attending any given event.

Consider the traveler who has planned a vacation in, say, New York City and wants tickets for some Broadway show. Presently he has either to phone and accept someone else's definition of what constitutes “best available” or wait until he gets into town and seek out a scalper or reseller agency and he still isn't sure exactly what his seats offer.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

(a) to always provide customers with a seat selection comprised of the total of the then best available seats for any given event;

(b) to make equally available to all customers all then available seats for any given event to that said customer, so he may select for himself the seat or seats he wants for that event;

(c) to provide an alternative means to visiting box office or a ticket reseller for a customer to select and reserve for himself the then best available seat or seats for any arena, stadium, theater, airline flight or any other such venue where seating is available;

(d) to provide to a ticket sensitive venue operator better control over the seating and seat availability for the various events he offers;

(e) to provide to a ticket sensitive venue operator better accounting of his seating for the various events he offers;

(f) to provide to the general public a more cost effective means by which he may reserve and buy tickets for any given event;

(g) to provide to a venue operator a more cost effective means by which he may sell tickets for any given event;

(h) to provide to the general public an automated 24 hours a day, seven days a week means by which he may reserve and purchase the specific seats he wants for an event;

(i) to provide to a venue operator an automated 24 hours a day, seven days a week means by which he may offer reservation and purchase of a seat or seats that are individually selectable by a customer;

(j) to permit the venue operator to avoid overbooking an event;

(k) to permit the venue operator to avoid underbooking an event;

(l) to permit a doctor or other professional for whom his time is a commodity to better schedule and regulate his time and interact with patients or others in the online environment;

(m) to provide to the general public a 24 hours a day, seven days a week means by which they may schedule appointments with doctors, dentists, automotive mechanics and the like with full knowledge that the appointment time they select is still available.

Further objects and advantages are to provide any venue operator the benefit of better control over his ticket inventory and sales such as to improve his profitability and the efficiency of his operation and to provide to the general ticket buying public better information and an easier means by which they may acquire their desired ticket or tickets for any event.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The ticketing and reservation system of the present invention, in one particular embodiment thereof, includes a computer program operating on a server for a wide area network (WAN), generally described by the flow chart of FIG. 1 and the accompanying code example which implements the instant invention in practice:

First, when a user accesses the system means is provided to initialize the process and return to the user a menu from which he selects his venue of interest. This can be a selectable menu arranged by artist or date or time or specific theater or football team or baseball team or name or activity or any combination thereof such that the user is given sufficient information from which to make a decision. An example would be someone looking for the next event at a given theater at a time that starts at 7:00 pm. One of many possible series of computer instructions to perform this function is:

-   -   <-Send database query to retrieve all venues that are currently         available in the system->     -   <-Server receives and processes query->     -   <-Query is looped until all available performances and venues         are retrieved->     -   <-Markup Language engine converts result to display compatible         format for output to client computer->     -   <-Begin normal markup language here->     -   <-Begin reservation process selecting the event date/time next         to the desired venue->         THEN, upon user submittal, the server initializes the process of         returning to the user all available seats:     -   <-Send database query to retrieve all seats that are currently         available in the system for this event->     -   <-Server receives and processes query->     -   <-Query is looped until all available seats are retrieved->     -   <-Markup language engine converts result to markup language         format for output to client computer->     -   <-Begin normal markup language here->     -   <-Continue reservation process by selecting the desired seat or         seats->         THEN, upon user submittal we create a new customer record in the         Wide Area Network server and tell the system which database to         connect to fulfill the user's request(s):     -   <-Send database command to insert new record in customer         database and obtain record id->     -   <-Send database command to insert new record in reservation         “order” database and obtain record id->     -   <-Send database command to insert new record for each selected         seat in the reservation “detail” database->     -   <-Begin normal markup language here->     -   <-Continue reservation process by requesting client payment         information->         THEN, upon user submittal the information is passed for         verification:     -   <-Submit client information for verification->     -   <-If verification is successful, send database command to update         customer record in customer database with information previously         collected->     -   <-If verification is successful, send database command to update         reservation record in reservation “order” database with         verification information->     -   <-If verification is successful, send database command to remove         selected seats from seat inventory database and mark as no         longer available for future selection->     -   <-Markup language engine converts result to markup language         format for output to client computer->     -   <-Begin normal markup language here->     -   <-If verification is successful, confirmation is generated via         Markup language engine to markup language format for output to         client computer->     -   <-If verification is unsuccessful, a failure notice is generated         via Markup language engine to markup language format for output         to client computer->     -   <-If verification is unsuccessful, client is presented with         option to provide his payment information again or abandon his         reservation->         While this is one preferred form of the code there are many         other code sequences that will perform the same function that         will be immediately obvious to one skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present invention as well as additional objects and advantages thereof will be more fully understood hereinafter as a result of a detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention illustrating the major components thereof and the interactivity that takes place between the potential customer and the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the concept of the present invention utilizing the internet as the Wide Area Network to which users connect to perform the desired function and shows an example of a remotely located user accessing the functionality of the instant invention for purposes of reserving seats for a dinner theater performance in a distant city.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations of the concept of the present invention refined down to the functionality of reserving specific seats and blocking duplicate sale of those seats that are already reserved.

FIGS. 4A to 4E are sample screens seen by a remote user of the instant invention during a session wherein he selects and orders four specific seats for a distant dinner theater show.

FIG. 5 is a complete code set for one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the operator of a venue implements the instant invention for purposes of allowing remotely located users to reserve specific seating for specific events 1. By doing so, he initiates those certain actions necessary to display an internet web site to all online users 2. A prospective customer for the venues offering(s) logs onto the internet 3 and acquires the aforesaid internet web site 4 which implements the instant invention. He can be connected to the internet by any conventional means yet this by no means implies that the wide area network must be what is commonly referred to as the “internet.” Upon first contact by the prospective customer, an inquiry is directed to the appropriate database, which may be located concurrent with the primary server hosting the program for the instant invention or may be located remotely, such as at the physical location of the venue, asking for a return of information to the prospective customer of all appropriate information contained therein relative to his inquiry 5. The prospective customer indicates his desired seat or seats through conventional computer input means and directs that information back to the server hosting the code necessary to the implementation of the instant invention 6. Upon contact 7 the server again makes an appropriate database query and returns to the prospective customer all pertinent information relating to his selection, such as which seats are still available for the chosen performance, airline flight, boxing match, etc. The prospective customer is then presented with a representation of all then available seating for his selected venue 8. From this representation, the prospective customer makes his selection of a seat or seats by indicating such through a mouse click, keyboard entry or other means, such as but not limited to a touch screen. Simultaneously, the server, through the coding necessary to implement the instant invention, creates a temporary customer identification 9 that is used to associate this potential customer with this later selection and permit system use by multiple simultaneous users. Once the customer has made his seat selection he is asked for payment information 10. That information is processed through conventional internet or other electronic means and once the information and payment are verified 11 a the customer information, as supplied in 10, is made permanent and the seat or seats he has selected are removed from inventory and blocked from duplicate sale, both graphically when presented to the next prospective customer and in the database where information for accounting and administrative purposes is retained. If the customer's payment information cannot be verified 11 b then he is given an opportunity to correct the information or start over with a new transaction. Upon verification of the customer's payment information he receives a confirmation of the transaction 13 containing all appropriate reference information for his records.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that, for example, a user in Houston 13 is planning to vacation in New York and wishes to see a play at a dinner theater there that utilizes the present invention for ticketing and reservations 15. The user in Houston, or in any other location worldwide, connects to the internet in the conventional way and retrieves the appropriate web site through his graphical browser from a server located in, say, Anaheim, Calif. 14. Through implementation of the instant invention the user is able to see the exact seating arrangement of the remote dinner theater and select the exact seat or seats he wants for the performance of his choice. Such additional information as is appropriate can be provided to the remote user to assist him in making an informed decision as to which seat or seats he wishes to occupy for this performance.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, it will be seen that in FIG. 3A that, at the user selected venue, all seats at table P11 17 and at table s14 18 have been previously taken and are so indicated by the graphical representation of an “X” over those seats. Our potential customer wants to seat a party of four at table s1 16 and so indicates by clicking his mouse on those four seats or by so indicating through an alternative standard computer input means. Once his payment method is verified his selected seats are removed from inventory and so indicated on the graphical representation by placing an “X” over those seats 19 while retaining the “X” over those seats previously sold at table P11 20 and table s14 21. The next prospective customer is advised that these seats are no longer available for this performance by the new graphical representation shown in FIG. 3B that is his first viewing screen upon entry into the system. In the event that two prospective customers wish to reserve the exact same seat or seats, that prospective customer who first receives validation of his payment method is given those seats while the other prospective customer is notified that while making his decision the seats he wants have already been sold and offers him a chance to select other seating.

Referring to FIGS. 4A to 4E, one will see the screens presented to a user when he accesses the system and as he progresses through the process of selecting a specific seat or seats, then reserves and pays for them. FIG. 4A is where the first screen presented shows links to available performances for that selected venue 22. FIG. 4B is the second screen 23 and shows a view of the seating available for that venue with seats that have already been taken crossed off with an “X” 24. Our hypothetical user decides that he would like to have his party of four sit at table s1 125 and selects the four seats around that table by clicking on them with his mouse. As he moves his mouse over individual seats the seat number appears in the window at the bottom of his screen 26 and when he clicks on a seat it is added to a running tally of the seats he has already taken 27. Only seats that have not previously been taken show up in the mouse-over window 26. After completing his selections the user clicks on the “Reserve Seats” button and FIG. 4C shows his next screen, which asks him for his payment information 28. He enters the required information and again clicks the “Reserve Seats” button 29. FIG. 4D is the next screen and it tells him that his payment method has been accepted (or rejected) and relates information about the transaction 30 such as his transaction code and the receipt number that he can use as a ticket or as a voucher with which to redeem his ticket or tickets at the venue box office when he arrives for the performance. Finally, FIG. 4E shows the opening screen the next visitor to the system is presented with the same set of screens except that the seats reserved by our hypothetical user 31 are marked off as already taken.

Referring to FIG. 5, one will see one of many possible coding schemes making possible the results of the present invention.

Those having skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will now understand that there are virtually unlimited uses for the present invention. By way of example, the present invention may be readily used to reserve specific seats on commercial airliners or reserve specific staterooms on a cruise ship, as well as for reserving seats for any venue from community theater or little league baseball to major league sporting events.

The present invention has been described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Accordingly, specific details which are readily available in the art or otherwise conventional have been omitted to prevent obfuscation of the essential features of the invention.

In view of the foregoing it will be understood that the present invention may be implemented in a variety of alternative methods but that all such implementations are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto: 

1. A computer-implemented method for interactively selecting time slots for one or more appointments by an end user over a wide area network, the method comprising: transmitting information relating to a plurality of available time slots for one or more appointments to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user; providing a graphical user interface on the computer that comprises an interactive calendar relating to available time slots for each of the one or more appointments from which the end user can select one or more available time slots, the graphical user interface providing additional current available time slot information on the one or more available individual time slots in response to a user interaction with the graphical user interface, the interaction being triggered when placing a mouse over the graphical user interface, wherein the mouse over causes the computer to display the additional current available time slots information indicating time slots that have not been previously taken; receiving from the end user a selection of one or more selected time slots, wherein the selection is based on a mouse click; and accepting over the wide area network from the end user payment information for the one or more selected time slots.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more appointments are doctor appointments.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is a web page.
 4. A system for interactively selecting time slots for one or more appointments by a plurality of end users over a wide area network, the system comprising: a database storing a plurality of entries denoting a plurality of available individual time slots for an appointment; and a server, configured to: query the database for information relating to the plurality of available individual time slots for one or more appointments; transmit information relating to a plurality of available time slots for one or more appointments to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user; provide a graphical user interface on the computer that comprises an interactive calendar relating to available time slots for each of the one or more appointments from which the end user can select one or more available time slots, the graphical user interface providing additional current available time slot information on the one or more available individual time slots in response to a user interaction with the graphical user interface, the interaction being triggered when placing a mouse over the graphical user interface, wherein the mouse over causes the computer to display the additional current available time slots information indicating time slots that have not been previously taken; and receiving from the end user a selection of one or more selected time slots, wherein the selection is based on a mouse click.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more appointments are doctor appointments.
 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface is a web page.
 7. A computer-implemented method for interactively selecting time slots for one or more appointments by an end user over a wide area network, the method comprising: receiving information relating to a plurality of available time slots for one or more appointments on an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user; providing a graphical user interface on the computer that comprises an interactive calendar relating to available time slots for each of the one or more appointments from which the end user can select one or more available time slots, the graphical user interface providing additional current available time slot information on the one or more available individual time slots in response to a user interaction with the graphical user interface, the interaction being triggered when placing a mouse over the graphical user interface, wherein the mouse over causes the computer to display the additional current available time slots information indicating time slots that have not been previously taken; and receiving from the end user a selection of one or more selected time slots, wherein the selection is based on a mouse click. 